Improvement in rotary cultivators



3 Sheets--Sheet 3.

c. GOMSTOQK.

Steam-Plow;

Patented Feb. 2.6, .1861.

Inventor:

91a WMJ'M "Witne-sses= UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OIOERO GOMSTOOK, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

IMPROVEMENT IN ROTARY CULTIVATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 31,531, dated February 26, 1861.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CIOERO OOMSTOGK, of the city of Milwaukee, in the State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements on Rotary Plows or Spading- Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and marks thereon.

My invention relates to that class of machine-plows or spadingmachines designed to be drawn by horses, or to be put in motion by steam or any mechanical power, wherein a series of spades, forks, or equivalent means for breaking up and elevating the soil for cultivation have all the necessary movements given to them by the machine, when in motion, for entering the soil, elevating and turning it over, and leaving it in the proper condition for the usual further steps of cultivation.

' My rotary plow or automaton spading-machine is shown by the drawings thereof. Plate 1 is a photographic perspective view of machine. Plate 2 shows the end View of part of main wheels, the inside of stationary cam, the friction-rollers, the guide-levers and stop, and the journal on the inner shaft. Plate 3 shows theuprightsection ofwheels, cam, guide-levers, outside shafts, inside shafts, side and front view of spade, fork and handle, spiral thread on handle, and spiral groove on outside shaft. Plate 4 shows all parts of the machine when put together, the dotted lines representing parts between the outside of main wheels and the inside of cam.

v Explanations: A is an outside end view of part of main wheels; B, an inside view (end) of part of main wheels; 0, a hollow shaft securing the two wheels together; G a stationary shaft passing through the hollow shaft and securing the cams in place and in line. Around and between the wheels are the spades or forks, which are set equidistant apart around the circumference of the wheel. Their number is governed by the diameter of the wheel and the length of the cut forward, the length of the machine or the width of cut or furrow depending on the number and width of spades or forks side and side, and the space or spaces between them.

D is a stationary cam, (inside view;) E, a groove in stationary cam, the form of the cams with the groove being such as to give the requisite motion to the spades or forks to make a cut in the earth; also the lifting and thrusting-out motions, which, with the spiral thread and groove, cause the turning of the spades or forks to discharge the earth; also to draw in and bring the point of the spade or fork in the right position to enter the earth at the same point where the head will be brought by the revolution of the machine.

F are friction-wheels revolving in groove of cam; G, friction-wheel forming part of groove of cam.

H are outside shafts or box, rotating on their journals, through which the spade or fork handles pass; I, inner shafts, (their journals working in slots in the main wheels,) to which the ends of the spade or fork handles are connected. On the extreme ends of these shafts are attached friction-wheels, which revolve in the groove of the cam as the machine is drawn forward.

J are set-screws securing the fork or spade handles in place; K, groove for set-screw in fork or spade handles; 0, slots in main wheels, formed to admit a forward, backward, thrusting-out, drawing-in, and rotary motion of the inner shafts; L, spade or fork handles and blades M, spiral thread on spade or fork han-' dles; N, groove in outer shaft for spiral thread or handles; P, guide-levers; Q, guide-lever stop. These guide-levers, in combination with the guide-lever stops, insure the passage of the journals of the inner shafts from one portion of the slot to the other-the one portion being circular, the other being straight; R, screw bolts and nuts, securing guide-lever and stop in place; S, wood staves around the circumference of the wheel; T, journal on inner shaft, working in and passing through slot; U, section of guide-stop and set-screw.

Plate 1 of the drawings shows the manner in which the machine may-be arranged and connected to a frame and wheels for eonveyin g itfrom one place to another. The frame is made of iron, having affixed to it iron axles for the wheels, and screws are in the frame for elevating the machine from the ground.

From the explanations of the construction 

